Learning about being abroad

Last night at an orientation, we learned that we will probably have something of a "W curve" of emotions while studying abroad. This occurs if one were to plot their emotions on a graph, and it would create a W, or a series of small Ws, depending on the person and their experiences. In example, someone would start high, fall when things get difficult, rise again when they become more comfortable, fall when they go home, and rise finally when they are readjusted to life back home. I suppose this will probably happen to me, and apparently it's a good thing, because I will be experiencing life, rather than just being a tourist. We'll see if it's true.

In studying the study abroad experience (which all feels very metaphysical) I remembered the first article I read about being abroad. The blog Stuff White People Like had a post about study abroad, and in re-reading it, I am more excited than ever. (Despite the fact that it completely discounts the experience as superficial.) I'm sure at some point I will be caught saying "When I lived in Denmark..." but who cares. I'm paying a lot of money to be able to say that. So what if it's viewed as a status symbol? So is a college degree, and I'll never apologise for getting one of those.